


My friend, Rafael

by BCBoo



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, argument
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-11 00:56:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7018153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BCBoo/pseuds/BCBoo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Barba is giving Carisi the silent treatment, but it doesn't last for long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My friend, Rafael

It wasn’t until Sonny unlocked the door to his apartment he realised Rafael had been giving him the silent treatment for half of the journey home. 

“Rafi what’s wrong, normally I can’t shut you up but you’ve spent the last twenty minutes listening to me waffle on about pizza.” Rafael didn’t say a word, he just walked into the apartment and headed straight for the coffee maker in the kitchen area by the front door. He’d previously brought the machine as he insisted if he was going to spend time at Sonny’s apartment he wouldn’t settle for bad coffee. Sonny pressed himself against Rafael’s back and wrapped his arms around the lawyer’s waist. “Come on Rafi, say something.”

Rafael removed Sonny’s arms from around him and stepped away.

“You don’t know?” He turned to look at his boyfriend, Sonny could see he was mad but he was clueless as to why. “this is my ‘friend’ Rafael?” Sonny still looked clueless for a moment before realisation hit.

“That’s what this is about?” They’d bumped into one of Sonny’s oldest friends earlier that day, Tom, where he’d met Rafael for the first time. “I thought we weren’t going public yet?”

“There’s a difference between going public and telling a close friend. After eight months together I think I deserve more than ‘this is my friend’” Rafael didn’t think this would make him so angry but it was burning inside of him. 

“Come on, It’s only eight months.” Sonny would later lament over his habit of speaking before thinking, especially during an argument. 

“Only! If I remember correctly, and I do, you told me your parents were already engaged after eight months, it’s a long time!”

“For you maybe.” 

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Come of it Rafi, you’ve never had a relationship that lasted longer than five months, this must feel like an eternity to you. I know you don’t do real relationships.” Rafael was speechless, a rare event. He wanted to leave but Sonny was standing in front of the door. “Besides it’s really not a big deal, it’s not like you’ve told any of your friends about me.”

“Actually I have” Rafael reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an ornate envelope. “We’ve been invited to a wedding.” He handed it to Sonny. “I didn’t realise I had to make an announcement every time I told someone about us.”

Sonny stared at the envelope. He opened it to see the invitation and was shocked to see both their names on it, not ‘Rafael Barba plus guest’ but ‘Rafael Barba and Sonny Carisi’.

“The bride kicked up a fuss about using your nickname but I told her you don’t like your first name.” Rafael explained. “See that’s two of my friends who know about us, and I’ve told others. You might not be ready to tell our colleagues or families but my close friends, who know me better than anyone, of course I told them.” Sonny felt ashamed, he hadn’t even told anyone he was in a relationship. “And for the record I’ve never been in a relationship worth more than five months until now.” Rafael took the invitation back. “Or so I thought. Why are you even with me if you think I can’t do a real relationship? I know you don’t do flings.” 

“I never said I didn’t think this was a real relationship”

“But it’s not real enough to tell your oldest friend about? What are you worried he’s going to run off and tell your parents?” Sonny didn’t know how to respond to that. It was true, he didn’t want his parents to know yet. While they said they accepted that he was bisexual they had always treated his ex-girlfriends better than his ex-boyfriend, it ended up being one of the reason his ex-boyfriend had become ex.

“Look you don’t know them…”

“You’re right, I don’t. I don’t know anyone in your family, I don’t know any of your friends. The only other people in your life I do know work in SVU and they don’t know about us.” Rafael stepped forwards and took Sonny’s hands, his voice softened. “I want to know these people; I want to be part of your life. You can’t keep me hidden in this apartment forever.” Sonny looked away. “It’s a two-way street, and I want you to know my friends and family too, I am so ready to go public, that’s why I want you to come to this wedding with me.” 

Sonny let go of Rafael’s hands and said something he regretted instantly.

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it.” 

There was a pause while Rafael stared at Sonny, then he became angry again.

“You are never going to be ready to tell people about us are you?” He pushed his way past Sonny and stopped at the front door. “I don’t know if you picked me because you thought I’d be happy to stay your dirty little secret or you thought I’d be bored by now and have left, but how about I make this easy for you, next time you have to introduce me to someone you’ll only need to refer to me as a colleague.” With that he stormed out of the apartment leaving Sonny mentally kicking himself.

+++++++

It was three days later and Rafael had ignored all of Sonny’s calls. When the lawyer saw him at work he refused to make eye contact and made sure everything he said was short, sharp and couldn’t be seen as anything but professional to anyone else there. To Sonny it was like a mental slap each time Rafael spoke. 

That afternoon Sonny decided he’d had enough. He knew he’d been stupid to suggest Rafael didn’t take their relationship seriously and he needed to prove that he took it seriously as well. He phoned up one of Rafael’s favourite restaurants to make a reservation for that evening and set his plan into motion.

++++++++

It was getting dark and most people had gone home but Sonny knew Rafael would still be in his office, when he was angry he threw himself into his work as a distraction. He let himself into the office, Carman having long left for the day.

“Hello Rafi.” The lawyer didn’t even look up from the file he was reading at his desk.

“Detective.” Sonny walked over to the desk and sat on the edge facing Rafael.

“Don’t give me that detective crap.” He took the file out of Rafael’s hands and put it down, Rafael glared at him.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

“I know, you always do, but I’m here to make a grand gesture.” He stood up. “Get your coat, we’re going out.” Rafael sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, not taking his eyes off Sonny. “That wasn’t a request.”

Rafael sighed.

“Fine, where are we going?” He got up.

“It’s a surprise.”

+++++++

They arrived at the restaurant via taxi. They had both stayed silent the whole way there. Once they were seated at their table they ordered their usual drinks.

“I wouldn’t call this much of a grand gesture. You’ve brought me to a restaurant.” Sonny couldn’t help but smile, he’d take one of Rafael’s signature snarky remarks over icy professional comments any day.

“One of your favourite restaurants.”

Rafael rolled his eyes.

“You remember on our six-month anniversary when I turned up at your apartment with a bouquet of sunflowers, because they’re your favourite, and rented a car to drive us out of the city for a homemade picnic? That was a grand gesture.”

“Yes but…”

“Or when you came down with that bug and I cancelled my very expensive holiday to look after you even though you were delirious most of the time and didn’t know I was there? That was a grand gesture.”

“Yes but, if you’ll let me get a word in, the meal isn’t it. I just thought it would be nice to be in a fancy restaurant when you meet Tom and his wife Beth properly for the first time.” Before Rafael had a chance to react the couple turned up.

Sonny stood up to greet his friends with a warm hug.

“Tom, Beth, this is Rafael Barba, my boyfriend.” Sonny turned to face Rafael and smiled. It was such a simple sentence but it couldn't have made Rafael happier to finally hear it.


End file.
